


In the Margins

by surlybobbies



Series: Tumblr Quick Fics [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 16:44:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12193770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surlybobbies/pseuds/surlybobbies
Summary: It turns out Dean Winchester's name looks really good in the margins of Castiel's Psychology notes.





	In the Margins

**Author's Note:**

> A while back (a LONG while), destieldrabblesdaily on Tumblr received a request, but her prompts were closed. She graciously allowed her followers to take it up. This was my contribution. Original prompt asked for HS au, but I am a teacher and... I prefer to stay away from writing about minors. 
> 
> The original prompt: okay destiel prompt: hs au where cas always doodles in the margins of his notes and he writes dean's name a lot with hearts and all that, then one day dean asks to borrow his notes for a class because he wasn't there that day or whatever and cas is like "of course", but he totally forgets that he's written dean's name everywhere in his notes and by the time he realizes, dean's already seen it. fluff ensues.

Cas learns that even when Dean Winchester is absent, he’s still a constant distraction. 

It’s half an hour into the General Psychology lecture, and while he’s accepted that Dean isn’t coming today, Cas still finds himself dreaming of green eyes and strong arms. 

He tries to take notes - honest, he does - but alongside his scribbles about Pavlov and conditioning, he reverts to his shameful habit of doodling. Doodling Dean’s name in particular. 

He doesn’t remember when it became a habit - just that one day, he learned the name of the handsome Engineering major who sat in the row in front of him and subsequently couldn’t get it out of his head… so he put it down on paper. It didn’t get rid of the echo in his head, but it turned out that Dean’s name looked _really_ good in Cas’s notebook margins.

And so his notes became less psychology and more Dean Winchester.

In the time it takes Cas’s professor to discuss Pavlov and the differences between operant and classical conditioning, the margins of Cas’s notes are filled with Dean’s name in different variations. Just his first name, just his last name - some in blocky print, some in loopy cursive. He’s just crossing the T in a loopy Winchester when his professor releases them. 

Still disappointed that he didn’t see Dean today, he pencils in one last parting doodle - a tiny heart above the i. It’s hilariously sentimental - and he’s sure he’ll laugh at himself later - but sue him; he’s head over heels.

He shuts his notebook and hurries to his next class.

Two days later, Cas settles into his seat in the lecture hall, sighing as he shucks off his raincoat. It’s pouring out there - and he knows the sound of the storm is just going to make him more prone to daydreaming… especially if Dean is in the room.

He’s just gotten his notebook out when Dean, looking harried but still unfairly handsome, collapses into his seat in front of Cas and turns around.

“Cas,” he breathes, “Thank God, just the guy I wanted to see.”

“Is there something wrong, Dean?” Cas asks, alarmed. 

“You are literally the only person in this whole lecture hall who takes notes - can I please borrow the notes from last time?”

Cas feels his cheeks heat in pleasure. “Of course,” he murmurs, flustered that Dean noticed such a thing. He hands over his notebook.

Dean smiles at him gratefully. A raindrop trickles down the side of his face. “Thanks, man, I owe you one.”

He turns back around to face the front and starts flipping through the notebook. The professor clears his throat and begins class.

Then and only then - with a horrific, sickening feeling in his gut - does Cas remember his doodles. 

He sees the exact moment that Dean notices his name written all over Cas’s notebook - dated and labeled by subject… and not just Psychology. His figure stills, his head tilts - and he stays like that for a full minute. And says nothing.

Eventually he begins copying down Cas’s notes like he asked to do. Cas, meanwhile, wants to flee. He’s uncomfortably warm all over from mortification and he barely hears the professor drone on about today’s topic.

What is he going to do when Dean returns the notebook? Apologize? Is Dean even going to want to hear it? 

He’s thinking of all the possible ways it could go wrong when the professor tells them to enjoy their weekend. Then suddenly Dean is turning around, red-faced, and thrusting Cas’s notebook back at him. “Thanks, dude,” he mumbles.

Numbly, Cas takes the notebook. It’s stll open to his notes from the class before. And Dean is still standing in front of him, despite everyone else filing out.

“Dean, I - I have no words.”

Dean scratches the back of his neck and looks at Cas through his eyelashes. “Look at your notes.”

Frowning, Cas looks at the notebook. In the lone previously-untouched corner of the page, there’s a new addition in Dean’s blocky handwriting. _Castiel Novak, would you like to grab a coffee sometime?_

The O in Cas’s last name is a heart.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Dean says to the floor, “But I never worked up the nerve… think I was scared of rejection. But uh - I mean - I saw your notes and I figured… chances were good, considering everything. So.” He clears his throat and offers a shy grin. “Wanna grab a coffee?”

Cas, still holding the notebook with a shaky hand, manages a relieved laugh. “I would love to, Dean.”

\--

Later on in life, Cas decides that Dean’s name looks best right next to his - on slate grey cardstock, in sealed envelopes, sent out to their loved ones just in time for a summer wedding.

 


End file.
